I'm partial to natural objects, especially rocks and shells, sea glass and fossils, bugs and leaves. It's a family tradition, to notice treasure laying about and collect for safekeeping. It's also a family eccentricity to use them as decor.
I admit to going a bit overboard on the rocks, but I've had a lifetime to amass this collection - my dad got me hooked when I was a little girl. This is my collection of Lake Superior stones.
(Pay no attention to the large dead moth on top of the rocks.)
They look a lot better wet, so the colors pop:
When I had kids, one of the really cool things we did was revisit my childhood with my parents, gemming in the hills of North Carolina, where treasure is just waiting to be found. We found lots: ruby, garnet, emerald, aquamarine, topaz, tourmaline, amethyst, and my favorite rock name of all time, adventurine.
I keep this hefty collection on the piano, and I'm surprised the glass hasn't given way under the weight.
This tiny jar is my favorite of Dad's polished stones. The blue beach glass is almost the shape of a heart. He found the little soft, smooth white ones in a stream bed in Delaware, and they were among his favorite creations, because they were so plain an unassuming until they were polished into almost pearls. The blue and white one is the one I carry in my pocket for my worry stone when my edges are feeling jagged and rough. I like it's stunning blue, because he had some seriously blue eyes that just sparkled, and it reminds me most of him.
This week has been a bit jagged and moody for me, and I've been wallowing in my emotions more than I care to. So it must be time to put a shiny rock in my pocket and carry on.
Thanks to Vicki, Mary, Angella, Rubye, Jan, Robin, SJ and all my blog friends who help me polish my edges smooth.
Such interesting rocks! And to save them... we all go through those times when we need to polish our edges a bit smoother. You are in my thoughts. I've got a few rocks myself, I'll go check them out and pick one out and carry it for you.
ReplyDeleteAh, Sweetie. I hope we do help you polish but we love you even in the rough form- the original you form.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry you have the "moody's". I know what you mean and I hope it passes very soon. Just remember, A rock in the pocket is worth two in the head...or something like that ; )
ReplyDeleteI love rocks too. They are everywhere and yes, I just put some in mason jars and I sometimes put them in bowls of water.
You have a lovely collection! : )
My sister was a rockhound from childhood and ended up with a master's in Geology. Our vacations were great because everywhere we drove, she knew what to look for--Herkimer diamonds here, fossil crinoids there--and we stopped at all the rockcuts on the highways and hunted them down. When you're a little kid with decent eyesight, those kinds of scavenger hunts are compelling. Always and ever the opportunity to emerge a hero!
ReplyDeleteWow! I'm glad you shared your jars of rocks with us! And what a good image for those rough-edges times -- the realization that conflict and jostling, in time, will smooth those edges.
ReplyDeleteYou smooth my rough edges too - I am honored to have met you, my friend.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great idea. I used to love to walk the railway tracks in Manitoba where rocks from the Rockies were used as fill. We would also hunt for agats to polish in the insanely loud rock polisher we kept in the garage.
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